Events

In January 2023, a sponsoring committee made up of over 50 faith communities began laying the foundation for a permanent justice ministry organization in Sedgwick County, Kansas. Over the course of the year the sponsoring committee elected interim officers, adopted bylaws, and approved a formal process for membership in Justice Together, DART’s newest affiliate. 

DART’s mission is to engage congregations in doing justice.

Samantha Goodell is a local midwife. Her career started as a surgical/trauma nurse and eventually moved into labor and delivery. She had around 7.5 years of labor and delivery, postpartum, and NICU experience prior to becoming a midwife. In August of 2022, she graduated from Baylor University with her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) with her specialty being midwifery. She initially joined a small practice in Winfield, KS but after an unforseen closure, she joined Born Midwifery's practice in May of 2023. At that time she started a hormone optimization company as well. In December or 2023, with support from Born Midwifery, she made the decision to expand her hormone management company to include all aspects of care that midwives can offer. She owns and manages Miracle Moments Midwifery where she provides routine and non-routine gynecological care, hormone management, infertility treatment, prenatal care, lactation support, and out of hospital births. Her goal with her clinic is to empower women to make informed choices about their healthcare and ensuring the space is one where they feel their choices are respected.  Outside of work, Samantha is a very outdoorsy person and enjoys fishing, hiking, snowboarding, and relaxing on a beach. She doesn't have kids herself but shares her house with two very sweet cats!

Project Description
The Northwest Water Treatment Facility is a new water treatment plant that will serve the City of Wichita, surrounding communities, industries, and wholesale customers. The new plant will provide 120 million gallons per day of drinking water and will replace the aging Main Water Treatment Plant. The purpose of the project is to replace aging infrastructure to provide reliable delivery of drinking water.

Project Benefits
Replaces an 80-year-old drinking water treatment plant at the end of its useful life which will increase reliability and reduce risk of failure.
Includes innovative treatment strategies and robust design standards which are focused on meeting current and future water quality standards.
Allows the project to begin 7 years earlier than it would without WIFIA funding.
Saves the City of Wichita ratepayers an estimated $97 million by financing the project with a WIFIA loan compared to a bond issuance.
 

Adam Tannehill’s journey with LANGE began in 2021 when he joined Lange Real Estate as an inside sales representative. He quickly gained valuable experience in understanding client needs and providing exceptional service. His dedication and enthusiasm quickly caught the attention of the team, which brought him into the role of creative sales and marketing in the summer of the same year. This opportunity allowed him to combine his creative mindset with his sales expertise, contributing to the growth and success of Lange Real Estate.

His experience with LANGE eventually led him to the position of networking officer for LANGE Companies, taking on a strategic business development role. A natural connector, this role gives Adam the opportunity to leverage his networking skills while he establishes valuable connections with key stakeholders in several industries. He thrives on cultivating partnerships and identifying growth opportunities for the company. With his invaluable expertise in cultivating opportunities, fostering growth, and driving business development, he has been an asset to the LANGE team.

Adam attended Midland University, focusing on commercial art and advertising. Before joining LANGE, his professional pursuits combined his love of sports, entrepreneurship and marketing. He has a knack for staying ahead of market trends and adopting innovative strategies.

Beyond his professional life, he also finds time for golfing, volunteering, running his business, and some artistic pursuits. He’s been married since October 2019 to his wife, Nicole. They have two dogs named Mia and Piper.

Last Fall, Colby Reynolds, Club President, and Ed Frey, President-Elect,  presented information to the board about participating in a  Club Vision Facilitation with a goal to create excitement and more participation in our club. On March 5, a group of 15 of our members, representing our past, current, and future leaders, met for a 4-hour Visioning session with Rotary Facilitators to develop goals with an action plan under a 3-year Master Plan.

About Club Visioning…

Visioning is the foundation of a successful club, bringing its members together towards building…

• Continuity of leadership
• Consistency in programing
• Consensus towards purpose and action.

The visioning process allows the club to develop a strong path toward the future providing a road map that is easy for leaders and members to understand and serves as a foundational piece for any club that wants to grow and become more effective. This step becomes the Vision to Success.

Mark Hazleton is a dedicated Solutions Architect with over two decades in the tech industry. Specializing in Microsoft ASP.NET, he's contributed to developing practical solutions for various businesses. Mark's work spans cloud-based and on-premises systems, always focusing on real business benefits rather than fleeting tech trends. A lifelong learner, he integrates best practices in agile development, DevOps, and project management. Mark's approach combines technical skills with an understanding of business needs. for more information https://MarkHazleton.com

Join us for an insightful presentation today where we delve into the dynamic world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its impact on our community. Discover the story behind the Wichi-Toad controversy, where AI-assisted artwork sparked a lively debate about the future of creativity. Learn how AI technologies like Large Language Models (LLMs) are reshaping industries and enhancing our daily lives. This engaging session will provide practical insights into leveraging AI for business success while addressing ethical considerations and community concerns. Don't miss this opportunity to explore the intersection of technology and human ingenuity! OR The presentation explores the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), focusing on its practical implications and controversies within the Wichita community. It begins by addressing the Wichi-Toad controversy, where AI-assisted artwork sparked debates about the authenticity and ethical implications of AI in creative processes. This incident highlights the broader conversation about AI's role in art, with opinions divided between viewing AI as a new medium and a threat to traditional artists. The presentation underscores the need to navigate these new technological intersections thoughtfully. We then delve into the fundamentals of AI, explaining concepts like Large Language Models (LLMs) and their capabilities. It elaborates on how LLMs, trained on vast datasets, can generate human-like text, and discusses the importance of system prompting to guide AI responses. Practical insights into managing AI tools, such as Prompt Spark for optimizing prompts, are shared to demonstrate how businesses can effectively harness AI's potential. The session aims to demystify AI, showcasing its transformative impact while addressing community concerns and promoting informed discussions on its future.

Martin Bauer is a life long Kansan.  Farm boy from near Clay Center, Kansas, K-State undergrad, KU Law School followed by Judicial Clerkship with the Honorable Richard Rogers and now 47 years with Martin Pringle Oliver Wallace & Bauer.  Handled commercial litigation that evolved into trying contested adoptions to adoption practice.  President of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys.  Helped found Wichita Montessori, Chaired the Kansas Arts Commission.  Past President of Downtown Rotary Club, Past District Governor.  Married to Ann, 3 children, 5 grandchildren.  Loves tennis, pickleball and international hiking. 

Last Thursday we commemorated the 80^th anniversary of the largest mechanized invasion in history.  Come hear and see photographs about one soldier’s experiences to add to the many amazing, frightening and sometimes sad stories of what the young soldiers experienced.  This is part of the effort by the World War II Museum to capture and retell individual soldier’s experiences so that future generations never forget the price of freedom”

Tiffany Blank is the County Executive Director for the Sedgwick County Farm Service Agency in Wichita.  She was born and raised in Yoder/Haven, KS and attended Haven High School and Kansas State University.  She worked for the Kingman County Farm Service Agency in Kingman, KS as a Program Technician for 16½ years before she entered the training program to be a County Executive Director.  She trained in Harvey and Sedgwick County.  After she graduated from the training program, she was selected and started her new role as CED on June 4, 2023.  She has been in this position for almost a year now.  She has 4 program technicians that help carry out various programs in their office and complete the day-to-day tasks to ensure their producers (farmers) meet eligibility for farm programs and disaster programs.

Tiffany and her husband, Nick, have lived in Murdock, KS in Kingman County for the last 23 years with their two children: a daughter, Cassidy, who is a senior at Kansas State University, graduating in May 2024 and getting married in November 2024, and a son, Payton, who is a freshman at Pratt Community College.  

LynnLee is the Integrator/COO at Tanganyika Wildlife Park, responsible for connecting all the people and pieces to bring big visions to life.  LynnLee's passion for people drives her commitment to creating a positive impact in the industry.

Today marks a new Rotary year and serves as our annual Year-End meeting. Past Presidents will assist in Passing the Gavel "through the years" up to Ed Frey who is this year's Club President! Committee Chairs will share briefly about what their committees have accomplished this past year. In addition, we are launching our new Rotary Satellite Club of West Wichita - Service with the introduction of their members!

WHAT IS A SATELLITE CLUB? Satellite clubs offer members and prospective members a way to create a new club experience together, as a smaller group supported by an established local club. This club type needs fewer members to get started and helps people get exactly what they want out of Rotary. Our Rotary Club of West Wichita will serve as the sponsor and the governing body for this Satellite club which was organized by DeAnn Sullivan with 13 Charter members. Just like launching any Rotary club, forming a satellite club brings community members together to have fun and grow personally and professionally while serving their communities. They will hold regular meetings twice a month on Fridays, organize service projects, and have their own club leaders. They will have the opportunity to join us in our service projects and vice versa.

OUR BUFFET LINE WILL OPEN AT 11:45 TODAY

CLUB SERVICE:  Annie Pfeifer – Chair, Sean Babjak, Christy Barnett, Paul Blissett, Mark Chamberlin, Marv Fisher, Dan Kreis, Colin McKenney, Bob Nelson, Colby Reynolds, DeAnn Sullivan, Joe Terick, Fe Vorderlandwehr, Mindy Wagner, Sharon West

COMMUNITY SERVICE: Jacob Beckman – Chair, Jodi Barnwell, Heidi Bowen, Roger Bowles, Bob Broeckelman, Rod Brown, Bob Bundy, Terry Gardner, Vern Klassen, Mike Ludlow, Tony Morrow, Zella Newberry, Bruce Pearson, Jon Roper, Allan Sands, Lori Taylor, Ann Welborn

VOCATIONAL SERVICE: Stephanie Flaming – Chair, Dave Abbott, Randy Bowles, Doug Brewer, Scott Hinderliter, Brian Turney

INTERNATIONAL SERVICE: Brian Goudie – Chair, June Costin, Diana Fredelake, Ed Frey, Mark Hansen, Mark Hazleton, Maurice Linnens, Michael Phipps

FOUNDATION: Cindy Hand – Chair, Monty Allen, Bob Goebel, Brent Groves, Stan Krehbiel, Phil Michel, John Mosley, John Oswald, Dale Rein, Pat Walden

MEMBERSHIP/PUBLIC RELATIONS: Wade West – Chair, Nancy Chadick, Gregg Greenwood, Meliss Hamilton, Rick Oglesby, Joey Timmer, Jamie Wise

As owner and president of Gardner Design, Bill has spearheaded impactful branding for industry giants like Kroger, Google, the NFL, Textron, Spirit AeroSystems, and others. With a keen understanding of brand dynamics, he prioritizes business objectives in all design endeavors.

As founder of LogoLounge.com, Bill pioneered a renowned platform for logo design, reflected in his best-selling LogoLounge book series and annual Logo Trend Report. He authored Logo Creed, a foundational text, and presents branding courses on LinkedIn Learning.

Recognized with an AIGA Fellow Award in 2014, Bill actively contributes nationally and internationally to the creative community through judging, speaking engagements, and board service. Outside of design, he's completed a term as Vice President of the International Brotherhood of Magicians.

The RITE (Rotary Intercountry Teacher Exchange) program was started in our District by Ralph and Armida Hight in 1996. It began as a joint project of the Rotary Clubs of West Wichita and West Sedgwick County–Sunrise and has grown to involve additional clubs in our District. In 2010, Dalia Hale (WSC-Sunrise Rotarian) and Shelli  Kadel (former WW Rotarian) took on the responsibility of organizing this program. The Inbound portion of the project includes receiving teachers from Panama and Argentina for 4 weeks mid-January to mid-February and involves lining up host families, planning activities and school schedules. The Outbound portion involves selecting and sending teachers from the Wichita area to Panama for 4 weeks during their summer break.

Today, our Outbound teachers will share about their experience in Panama this summer.

Katie Brinkman is a Spanish teacher at Wichita Southeast HS. She began her teaching career at Wichita Southeast HS in 2018.

Leury Balcacer is a New York City native who moved to Wichita with her family in 2017. Her teaching experience began in a Global Learning Institute for Girls Charter School in the Bronx from 2011- 2017.  Her current time in Wichita includes 2020-2024 at Horace Mann as a First-Grade teacher at Horace Mann Dual Magnet K-8 School. She spent three years from 2017- 2020 at Child Start Head Start in Wichita.  

Katie and Leury both served teachers of English in a seminar setting for a two-week training and an additional two weeks with teachers in the schools.  They were supported and hosted by the Club Rotario de David, in David, Chiriquí, Panama.

Angela Taylor began her teaching career in 2014 as PK teacher in the Wichita Public Schools. She moved to the Wichita Diocese in 2015 as a Kindergarten teacher. Currently, she is a middle school Spanish teacher at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School. Angela traveled to the Boquete area to serve teachers in a seminar setting and was hosted by the Rotary Club of Boquete- Sunset. Due to a prior commitment, Angela is not able to join us today.

Chad Harmon, MEd, LMAC, is a seasoned professional in addiction counseling and social services. He currently serves as the Clinical Care Manager at the Substance Abuse Center of Kansas (SACK), where he has been an integral part of the team since 2007. Chad began his career in social services at Develop Mental Services of Nebraska, where he provided first-hand support to adults with developmental disabilities in a group home setting. His responsibilities included using TACT II restraints and de-escalation techniques to ensure the safety of clients and others.

Chad's journey with SACK began as an intern during the summers of 2007 and 2008, where he provided drug and alcohol assessments and referrals. After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Behavioral Sciences from Concordia University, Nebraska, Chad was hired full-time. He has since held various roles, including providing case management services to individuals with substance use disorders and piloting a program in Sedgwick County to manage clients frequently admitted to state hospitals. Chad has also been instrumental in delivering outpatient drug and alcohol treatment, coordinating IT systems, and implementing the organization's first Electronic Health Record (EHR).

With a Master of Education in Counseling from Wichita State University, Chad has developed a comprehensive approach to client care, incorporating peer support and coordinating with state universities to supervise practicum students. His leadership extends to program development, including initiatives like the Strategic Response to Opiates grant and efforts to aid the Sedgwick County Homeless Coalition during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the program director for a residential treatment/social detox center in Hutchinson, Chad has overseen various projects, including implementing new EHR systems and securing grants for opioid response and housing case management. His dedication to effective communication and community engagement continues to shape the services provided by SACK.

"Olive Oil 101"

Viva La Olive, Wichita's exclusive olive oil and vinegar store, has been a local gem for nearly two years. Jan, the amazing store manager, is renowned for her extensive knowledge and willingness to assist with any questions. Beyond the store, you can also find Viva La Olive at local events like the Old Town Farm and Art Market and the annual Garlic Fest. If you haven't visited yet, you're missing out on a truly unique experience!  With over 70 flavor profiles between the Olive Oils and the Balsamic Vinegars, there is something for everyone!